"A Sound of Thunder"-Haley Alesi Block 2

Direct Characterization

Indirect Characterization

Conflict

Foreshadowing

Situational Irony

Personification

Symbolism

Simile

Hyperbole

"Eckles flushed angrily" (Bradbury 12).

"'Does this safari guarantee that I come back alive?'" (Bradbury 4).

“Travis glared at Eckels’ checkbook and spat. ‘Go out there. The Monster’s next to the Path. Stick your arms up to your elbows in his mouth. Then you can come back with us’” (Bradbury 112).

“‘Not knowing it, we might kill an important animal, a small bird, a roach, a flower even, thus destroying an important link in a growing species’” (Bradbury 33).

“It fell to the floor, an exquisite thing, a small thing that could upset balances and knock down a line of small dominoes and then big dominoes and then gigantic dominoes, all down the years across Time” (Bradbury 142).

“The jungle was alive again” (Bradbury 115).

“It towered thirty feet above half of the trees, a great evil god, folding its delicate watchmaker’s claws close to its oily reptilian chest… ‘Nightmare’” (Bradbury 70-75).

“There was a sound like a gigantic bonfire burning all of Time, all the years and all the parchment calendars, all the hours piled high and set aflame” (Bradbury 6).

“Step on a mouse and you crush the Pyramids. Step on a mouse and you leave your print, like a Grand Canyon, across Eternity ” (Bradbury 39).

This quote explains how frustrated Eckles was with this safari because he felt that they were trying to scare him away from doing it.

Bradbury said the jungle was alive to demonstrate how the animals were lively and loud again as they once were when they landed there.

Bradbury spoke about the dinosaur in such a horrifying manner and tone that it not only symbolized a nightmare to the readers, but to the characters as well.

Bradbury included a man vs. man conflict between Travis and Eckles because Eckles was clearly frustrated by Eckles’ actions so he acted impulsively and basically told him to go get eaten by another monster.

Bradbury felt the need to over-exaggerate the consequences of doing this carefully to express how key it is that they be cautious of their actions while they’re in the past.

Bradbury had one of the safari hunters (Travis) say this to indirectly hint at the overall theme of the story while also hinting at the ending, which is after all their caution the future still changed.

Bradbury used situational irony in this case because the audience expected the dinosaur, if anything, to cause a huge change, not just a simple, delicate, butterfly that died from Eckles stepping on it. This only supported the theme of minor actions can cause major consequences.

Bradbury decided to compare this unique sound to this elaborate description of everything burning to show how horrifying and compelling this sound was.

Bradbury including this dialogue indicates to the reader that Eckles is very cautious and skeptical. This is built upon as the story commences and we learn more about what they’re doing.